Rotary engine.



R. A. STEWART. ROTARY ENGINE. APmcmou mso "n.21, 1916.

Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

ROBERT A.. STEWART, OF MLWAUVKEE, WISCONSIN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Speciiication of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1917..

Application led April 27, 1816. Serial No. 93,8110.

and operated at slow speeds with reasonable' efciency, and with high efficiency at maximum speed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view drawn to a plane at vright angles to the axis of rotation.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view drawn to a vertical plane which includes the axis of rotation, but showing the shaft and gearing largely in full. I

Like parts are identified `by the same reference numerals throughout both views.

An outer stationary cylindrical member 1 is mounted by a supporting base 2 and provided with a main inlet duct 3. A shaft t extends axially through the cylinder or casing 1 and supports a rotary member 6 within the casing. The casing is provided with a cylindrical partition 8k which encircles the rotary member 6, and between this partition 8 and the outer wall or periphery of the member 1 there is a cavity 10, annular in form and adapted to receive the motive fluids from the inlet 3 and distribute it to a set of nozzle ducts 11 formed in the partition member 8. The rotary member 6 is provided with a series of vanes or buckets 13 which project outwardly from the periphery of the member 6 in the direction of the cylindrical wall 8 and into close proximity thereto. These vanes or bucket flanges 13 may be of any desired form best adapted to receive the force of the motive fluid discharged against them through the nozzle ducts 11, whereby the kinetic energy developed'in said nozzle ducts may be utilized to drive the rotary member.

But instead of ermitting the motive fluid t0 ass directly rom the buckets 13 to the out et unrestrained, ll allow a limited pres-y sure to build up in the space between the rotary member 6 and the surrounding stationary wall 8 and direct the motive fluid through a set of nozzle ducts 15 into a set of buckets 16 resiliently supported against the inner ends of the nozzle ducts 15. The buckets 16 are supported by levers, each lever being pivotally secured to one side wall of the member 6 by a fulcrum pin 18. Une arm 19 of the lever is pivotally connected with the rear side of the bucket and another arm 20 receives the pressure of a coiled spring 21 interposed between it and a fixed bracket 22 also secured to the side wall of member 6. The pressure of the spring 21 is exerted in a direction to force the buckets 16 against the discharge end of the nozzle 15 to which it pertains. The motive fluid after being discharged into the buckets 16 is delivered into the interior cavity 25 of the rotary member, from which it passes to the exterior, preferably through a duct 26 extending longitudinally through one end of the shaft a. The motive fluid being allowed to enter this duct from the cavity 25 through ports 28 in said shaft. The duct 26 may lead to any suitable point of discharge, preferably in a suitable condenser, (not shown). The opposite end of the shaft from that through which the motive fluid is delivered is provided with a worm 30 in operative relation to a worm wheel 31, and adapted to drive the latter.A l

Any motive fluid may be employed to drive my improved engine. Where an elastic fluid is used the engine will start quickly owing to the fact that considerable pressure may be allowed to build up in the space between the rotary member 6 and the surrounding stationary wall or nozzle partition 8, and the pressure of the Huid will therefore be exerted through the nozzle ducts 15 directly against the buckets 16. As soon as the pressure becomes suiiicient to force these buckets to open position they will thereafter be held open by impact of the expanding particles or molecules of Huid, but in the meantime the rotary member will have been set in motion and the vanes 13 will thus become quickly eEective to receive and utilize the impact of the motive fluid discharged through the nozzle ducts 11, it being understood that in order to utilize the kinetic energy of a moving fluid to the best advantage the speed of the impact receiving V1 5 project inwardly from the cylindrical outer wall of the rotary member at a tangent vto avcircle concentric therewith and which includes the inner or discharge ends of said nozzle ducts, and the buckets 16V are so located as to receive thel pressure of the fluid when in closed position or the impact of the fluid when in open position in substantially the` same directiontaken by the fluid deliv- ,Vered through the nozzle ducts l1. The reactionary pressure of the fluid in the nozzles 15 is, of course, exerted against the surrounding stationary wall 8.

I claim l'. A rotary engine comprising'the combi-V nation of an outer'easing, a stationary annularnozzle wall provided with nozzle apertures, ahollow rotary member mounted to revolve within said nozzle wall, and provided with an annular set of impact receiving vanes, a set of nozzle ducts leading inwardly through the peripheral wall of said rotary member, and a set of buckets resiliently mounted within said rotary member and adapted to close the outlets of said noz.-

zle ducts, together with means for deliverng motive fluid into said casing, and'means for Ydischarging it from within said hollow rotary member.

2. A rotary engine including a rotary member provided with an interior cavity, a

Vset of nozzles extending into said cavity at a tangent to a circle concentric with the outer wall and coincident with the nozzle outlets, and a set of buckets resiliently supported within said cavity and adapted to normally seat against the discharge ends of the nozzles, together with means for delivering motive fluid through said nozzles and allowing it to escape from said cavity after being discharged into the respective buckets.

3. A rotary engine comprising the combination of a cylindrical casing having a double walled periphery, and provided with an annular fluid receiving chamber between said walls, the inner wall being also provided with nozzle ducts leading to the interior, a rotary member mounted within said casing and having a cylindrical wall concentric with the peripheral walls of the casing, a set of bucket flanges projecting outwardly from the cylindrical wall of the rotary member, a set of nozzle buckets projecting inwardly from the cylindrical wall of the rotary member at a tangent to a circle concentric thereto, and which includes the inner ends of said nozzle duct, a set of buckets resiliently supported from one side wall of the rotary member and normally closing the inner ends of said nozzle ducts, means for delivering motive fluid through the outer 4peripheral wall of said casing, and a hollow shaft supporting the rotary member and extending through the casing, said shaft having apertures within the rotary member communicating with the interior thereof, whereby the motive fluid may be permitted to escape through said shaft.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT A. STEWART.

Witnesses:

LEVERETT C. WHEELER, IRMA D. BREMER.

- opies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

